The story of 2 maidens not unlike the maidens of
our village today, for these maidens were special in
that they had the power to dream waking dreams.

The 2 maidens much loved to lay awake at night and
watch the stars in the sky, Many a warm summer night
the maidens would sneak away from the safety of
their village to lay upon the cool grass of the
river bank look up into the sky at the never ending
stars and make the plans for their future.

I will marry a brave strong warrior said the 1st
maiden. He will be a leader of the people, his
enemies will tremble at the mention of his name.

I will marry a good hunter and provider said the 2nd
maiden. He will keep us all warm and fed through the
killing winter months. Most importantly my warrior
will love and care for me above all others.

As the maidens planned their futures they watched a
shooting star split the heavens.

Hau cried the 1st maiden did you see the star fight
its way to earth even now our warriors are trying to
get our attention.

Laughing the 2 maidens fell back upon the earth and
gazed up into the stars at the many shapes and forms
of the blanket of stars. Yes said the 1st maiden if
you stare long enough the very shapes of the stars
look like our wariors. She pointed to a group of
stars to her right . Look and directly beside him is
your warrior he carries the days hunt over his
shoulder.

The 2nd maiden laughted at this talk from her
friend. Yes she said and both of the star warriors
watch us this very moment.

I wish they were watching said the 1st maiden. I
would leave everything and everyone to belong to
such a handsome warrior.

The maidens lay on the cool grass while the wind
gently touched their skin and they watched the stars
and prayed to their warriors not to forget them.

Slowly the 1st maiden awoke to the brightest golden
sunrise she had ever seen. Looking around she
realized she was no longer on the blanket of fresh
green grass but laying in the largest lodge she had
ever seen. Laying next to her was her friend who
also was looking around her in astonishment. Where
are we said the 2nd maiden? I know not replied the
1st maiden. But look at the furs we lay on have you
ever felt anything so think and soft.

The maidens slowly looked out their lodge. Their
eyes could not believe the sight before them. There
were beautiful furs the finest they had ever seen
piled higher than they could see. There were
blankets and kettles many colors shapes and sizes.
The corral was so full of horses that many horses
roamed freely as far as the eye could see.

As the maidens took in all this wealth 2 warriors
emerged from behind the mountain of furs.

The 1st warrior walked over to the 1st maiden and
said. I have watched you from afar for many moons.
I have fallen in love with you and if you will
consent to be my wife I will protect you from all
harm. I will keep you safe forever ..

The 2nd warrior walked up to the second maiden. He
said I also have watched you for many moons and my
love for you knows no boundaries. If you will become
my wife i will provide for you always and you will
never know hunger again.

The maidens felt as in a dream but consented to
become the wives of the 2 warriors. Wait said the
warriors before you become our wives you must
promise to do 2 things.

Anything said the maidens, just tell us and we will
do this, you must agree to never see your families
again and you must never look beneath the rock at
the center of the camp. The maidens were hurt and
confused, the rock is an easy request said the 1st
maiden but to never see our families again said the
2nd maiden this is a cruel thing to ask.

The maidens thought of the request and as the
warriors would not give on these conditions they
agreed.

Life was wonderful for the maidens. They never grew
hungry, they had riches beyond anything they had
seen before and their lodges prospered without much
work at all.

One day the 2nd maiden while gathering wood she
stumbled across the forbidden stone. Why can we not
look beneath the stone said the maiden. We have
given up out precious families why should a stone be
so important? With no thought for the warriors the
2nd maiden threw the stone away and looked beneath
it.

The 2nd maiden screamed and fell to her knees. The
1st maiden and the 2 warriors came running to see
what had raised the alarm. The 1st maiden also feel
to her knees when she saw what lay beneath the
stone. A small hole had been covered by the stone and
when looking in the hole Mother earth moved in a
perfect circle .

Terrified the maidens shrank away from their warrior
husbands. With a great sadness the warriors said
why; Why did you have to look beneath the stone did
we not give you everything you had ever asked for.
Did you not have the finest furs and riches. The
grandest lodges you had ever seen, why did you have
to do this.

The maidens shrank away and asked is this why you
said we could never see our families.

Yes, said the warriors. We have watched both of you
night after night as you lay upon the banks of the
river and talked of us and our deeds. We loved you
from afar. We are the star warriors you both watched
and made plans for your future with.

We watch over the people in the good times and in
the bad. We watched you also and against good
judgement we fell in love with you. But now that you
have looked beneath the stone we have no choice but
to return you to your families. The warriors touched
the eyes of their wives and the 2 maidens fell into
a deep sleep awakening later on the bank of the
river.

The dew had covered their bodies in a cool blanket
and the sky spoke of the time just before dawn when
the sun prepares to burst forth from her slumber.

The maidens rubbed their eyes. Did we dream that
said the 1st maiden. The 2nd maiden shook her head
to clear her thoughts and a comb fell from her hair.
The comb sparkeled with a thousand glittering points
of light As the 1st maiden leaned forward to look at
this beautiful comb an identical comb also fell from
her hair. Holding the combs the maidens looked into
the sky and just as the sun claimed the sky a tiny
sparkling star blinked and then disappeared.

Do the star warriors still watch and guide the
people. I do not know but perhaps some night as you
gaze into the starlit heavens you may answer the
question for yourselves.

The Future Is But A Dream "Dare to Dream"

Go in Peace kola-----------kala

THE GREAT HUNTER

There was a time when all the animals lived in
peace, when no one ate anyone else. All the animals
were the same color, because they had not yet
painted their faces.

Buffalo was the largest and strongest of the
animals, and he was getting hungry, He wanted to be
the chief of all the animals. He wanted to draw
strength from all the other animals by eating their
flesh. Buffalo wanted to become the eater of all the
animals.

The Human People also said that they should become
the chief of all the animals. People wanted to draw
strength from all the other animals by eating their
flesh. People wanted to become the eaters of all the
other animals.

Buffalo challenged the Human People to a race, the
winner of the race would become the chief of all the
animals. The People said that they would accept such
a challenge, but since buffaloes have four legs and
People have only two, the People claimed the right
to have another animal run the race in the People's
place. The buffaloes consented.

The People chose the Bird People to represent them
in the race. They chose Hummingbird, Meadowlark,
Hawk, and Magpie.

All the other animals and birds wanted to join the
race, too, each of them thinking that just maybe
they too had a chance to become chief of all the
animals.

All the animals took paint and painted the faces for
the race, each according to his or her spiritual
vision.

Skunk painted a white strip on himself and his
symbol for the race.

Antelope painted himself the color of the earth for
the race.

Raccoon painted black circles around his eyes and
around his tail.

Robin painted herself brown with a red breastplate.

The race was to be held at the edge of the Black
Hills at the place known as Buffalo Gap. The
competitors would race from the starting line sticks
to the turn around stick and then back to the
starting line.

All the animals, painted according to their vision,
lined up between the sticks. Among the animals were
the Bird People, who would run the race with their
wings for the Human People, and Runs Slender
Buffalo, the fastest runner of all the buffaloes.

The cry was given to begin and all the animals and
birds set out on the race. Hummingbird took the
lead, ahead of Runs Slender Buffalo, but his wings
were so small that he soon fell behind. As the
animals neared the turn around stick, Runs Slender
Buffalo took the lead.

Then Meadowlark came up beside Runs Slender Buffalo,
and the two went along side by side right into the
turn. Runs Slender Buffalo wheeled around the stick,
her hooves thundering, and she pulled away form
Meadowlark, who went wide to make the turn.

The animals in the lead passed the late runners who
were still headed for the stick. Meadowlark fell
behind and cheered on Hawk as he passed her.

Hawk gained on Run Slender Buffalo, and it looked
like he might pass her. Her heart was pounding and
her legs were tiring. But Hawk's wings were tiring
also, and he soon fell behind.

Runs Slender Buffalo was nearing the finish line as
the winner. It looked like the Buffalo People would
become the eaters of all the animals!

Then, behind the buffalo woman, wings beating
steadily, came Magpie. She was not a quick starter,
but her wingbeats were hard and true. Her heart was
strong. Her eyes did not wander form the finish
line. She never looked back. Her wings were wide and
she drove herself forward with beat after beat after
beat.

All the other animals had fallen behind. Runs
Slender Buffalo looked over at the magpie, but the
magpie never looked away from the starting sticks.

With each beat of her wings she moved past Runs
Slender Buffalo by no more than the length of her
bill.

At the starting sticks, many animals began to line
up to watch the finish. Raccoon, who had fallen out
of the race early, had returned to the starting
sticks.

Now he stood up between the sticks and put out his
little hands for the runners to touch as they passed.
He would feel the touch of whoever was in the lead,
and turn toward the winner.

Closer and closer came Runs Slender Buffalo, and
some of the animals feared Raccoon would be
trampled.

Magpie gradually flew nearer to the ground so she
could brush Raccoon's little hands as she flew past.

Raccoon did not move, but stared straight at the
onrushing pair. Magpie seemed to be pulling ahead.

Runs Slender Buffalo leaned forward as she ran to
touch Raccoon's hand with her great nose.

Magpie's wingtip touched Raccoon's little hand and
he turned toward her and instant before Runs Slender
Buffalo thundered past and he was surrounded by a
great cloud of dust.

All the animals waited breathlessly for the dust to
settle.

At last, there stood Raccoon with his little hand
raised toward the path of Magpie.

The Human People had won the race!

The Buffalo wandered the great plains and ate grass
and the people became the great hunters, the chief
of all animals.